Pondering over Devadasi system

 Pondering over Devadasi system

My hypothesis comes from the Shiva Shakthi principle.

Shiva – Masculine energy, static principle, Nirguna, cosmic consciousness

Shakthi – Feminine energy, Dynamic principle, prana, inner consciousness

When settlement started, building temples was nature's decision as they were built on udbhava moorthies, not manmade ones.

Hence, some settlement got Female deities and some got Male deities. That became their Kula or Grama Devata.

As noted, villages with female deities had a free flow of energy and happiness than the villages which had male deities. Villages with male deity didn't have the same flow of energy as it was devoid of prana by itself. As Shiva is tatastha.

Shakthi manifests in different forms, Para – Transcendental, Apara – Immanent, and Para-Apara – Intermediary energy. As villages didn’t have a choice of choosing the transcendental and immanent energy, they choose to have intermediary energy by providing the feminine principle so that there was a Soul in the village.

Hence, the system was born. Deva dasis means in service to God. Devadasis had to be extremely beautiful and also astavidya parangatha. The feminine principle is very evident here because the girl was married to Lord only after menarche, not before that. They lived on generous donations provided by the rich and poor who were scared of the wrath of Kula devata. The power devadasis held were tremendous because they engaged with the villagers and also kept them entertained.

However, as the world would have it, life moved higher up in Maslow's theory of needs, greed took over. Although Devadasi was in service to God, the deity was worshipped by Priests/God-man. They were considered as the medium to reach God. As the power of Devadasis rose, with their Asta vidya, Godman chose to have their power back. Hence, The Devadasis system broke down to prostitution for/by the people in power and influence.

As we now stand almost soulless world because of the reigning supremacy of masculine energy devoid of Prana.

The system was first abolished by Britishers in 1934 as they didn’t understand how it all originated or if they did they ignored it because of their own greed to acquire India - Shakthi peet who stood tall, resilient and survived years of abuse and gave back only when she was pushed against the wall just like any other mother would.

The recent state to abolish was Maharastra in 2005. Although most states put forward the law to abolish the system, they haven’t put up an administrative system to monitor the law implementation hence, the system still exists.

How it took the turn into the caste system, am still pondering. Will come up with another soon when I figure it out in my head.

There are a lot of things which we miss when we don’t give a thought to origin.

I remember stopping by the woods by Robert Frost here and I say miles to go before I sleep.

Source- LINKEDIN // Geetha Mahadevappa.,